Rotary carpet-cleaner.



PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

A, GROSSMAN.

ROTARY CARPET CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.15. 1904.

.55 mad NITED STATES PATEXT oFFIoE.

ABNER OROSSMAN, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ROT ARYfiiABPET-CLEANER To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABNER CROSSMAN, a citizen of the United States, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have 5 invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary CarpetCleaners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecifica tion.

This" invention relates to a novel rotary cleaner which is adapted to be used in an ordinary carpet-sweeping machinein place of the usual rotative hair or fiber brush.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide an efficient and durable cleaner for 5 this purpose which is efiective to remove dust, dirt, and like articles from a smooth surface, as a hard-wood or tile floor, as well ii a rough surface, as a carpet, rug, or the e. The invention consists in the matters here- :5 inafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

their inner margins to the core and adapted for engagement at their outer margins w th 1 the surface to be cleaned. "The wings are herein shown as fired in the core by being inserted at their inner margins in longitudinal grooves in the cylindric surface of the core and may be'fastened in said grooves by means of a suitable cement or otherwise. Said wings are angularly separated at their bases,so as to provide considerable angular space between two adjacent wings. The core-of the cleaner is provided at its ends with bearing-sockets a and with disks or circular flanges A, adapted for peripheral engagement with the wheels of a sweeping-machine or other part thereof for the purpose of rotating the cleaner.

The wings B are made of a flexible material, or at least the margins thereof are so I have found that a relatively thin leather possesses the attributes necessary to Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed Apri1 l5,190 4. Serial No. 203,380.

dialwings affixed in any suitable manner at Patented April 2, 1907.

a'successful device. If the leather be round too soft or flexible after being inserted in place, it may be treated with a material, such as shellac, to somewhat stiffen the same.

The wings are notched at their outer or active margins to rovide a plurality of independent points 0 contact I), separated by spaces 1).

In the operation of the cleaner the marginal points of the. wings strike the surface to be cleaned at separated points and the wings operate to carry upwardly the larger-objects from said surface in the usual manner and deposit them into the sweepingpan, The said separated contact-points also act by their conatct with said surface .to loosen and throw upwardly the'smaller particles, such as dirt or dust, lying on or embedded in the surface with greater efliciency than if said margins of the wings were stralght and unbroken, the said particles being forced upwardly into the sphere of action of the wings and by the latter carried into the sweepingspan. The cleaning action'of. the wings by contact with the toothed or broken margins thereof with the surface, as described, is also are in contact with the surface to be cleaned.

This latter condition is due to the fact that the rotation of the cleaner causes an increased air-pressure in front of. the wings when rotating in contactwith the surface'to be'cleaned as compared to the pressure of the air immel diately in the rear thereof. By reason of the presence of the notches or spacesbetwe'en the separated contact polnts which are at this time In contact with-the surface there is a tendency to the establishment of an equilibrium between the pressures at the front and rear face of the wing or leakage of airbeneath the same. As a result there is produced at the lower margins and rear faces of the wings at the time they thus eagage said surface rearwardly and upwardly eddying currents, which act not only to sustain in suspension the dust raised by contact of the points or teeth of the wings with said surface sufficient to insure the-same being thrown by the wings into the sweepings-pans, but also serves to cause light articles to raise from the floor not disturbed by such contact. In

this manner the cleaner removes from the surface to be cleaned the heavier art ieles and is partiwilarl efficient in removing from such surface the finer and'lighter particles of dust or dirt inost dillicult of satisfactory removal. The combined results of the contactof the notched wings against the surface bein cleaned and of the disturbance of the air at 'the lower margins of the wings thus produces a cleaning device of great efficiency. .\loreove:', the device is vsimple in its structure. isdurablc. and is very economical to manufacture.

I claim as 1n in'\'ention rotar cleaner for the purpose set forth comprising a core and a plurality of longitui dinally-disposed wings extending radially from said core, said wings being made of flexible material and separated by substantial angular distance at their bases, and the free or active margins of said wings being notched to constitute aplurality of narrow contactpoints separated by spaces.

In testimony that [claim the foregoing as my invention l atlix my signature, in presence of two witnesses. this 30th day of arch, A. 1).]sio4.

ABNER (ROSSBL LY- \Vit n'esses:

WILLIAM L. HALL, (iI-IHTRL'DF, BRYCE. 

